Author: Boria Majumdar

The Gujarat Titans innings was 7.2 overs old and Vijay Shankar had just hit a superb six off Tushar Deshpande in the previous over to make his intent clear. He would go after the bowlers and take his chances. Daryl Mitchell was bowling his gentle medium pace, and Vijay had reasons to believe he could get some momentum going. Till that moment, MS Dhoni had done nothing much in the game. One expected him to come out and bat the last few balls, but Chennai Super Kings (CSK) sent Ravindra Jadeja instead. The Whistle Podu army was disappointed, and each…

One of the most disturbing visuals that surfaced in the aftermath of the Mumbai Indians -Gujarat Titans game was a Hardik Pandya fan being beaten up by some Rohit Sharma supporters. His crime? How could he be a Pandya fan, when his hero is currently Rohit’s captain at the Mumbai Indians? Frankly, it has taken me hours to digest what transpired. It is much like the theatre of the absurd. That such a thing can happen in reality speaks volumes about the immaturity of Indian fans and the growing toxicity that is now a part of our fandom. Anyone who…

Lalit Modi is always interesting to talk to. Especially when it comes to the IPL. He always comes up with ideas which make for interesting debate and offer food for thought. This conversation was no different. From saying that the BCCI was doing a fantastic job with the IPL by going to cities which weren’t part of the eco-system before, to saying that he is sceptical of the impact cricket could have at LA 28 because it remains an expat sport in the US, it was a conversation with plenty to chew on. Excerpts: Boria: It is IPL time again…

Right through his career, much has been said about KL Rahul being given a long rope. And the trolls have had an absolute feast going after him for days on end. The injury in the 2023 IPL did not help and some even rejoiced saying good riddance, for he wouldn’t be available for the World Test Championship (WTC) final. In fact, had it been Rahul instead of KS Bharat, the final could have been a different story. Thereafter, he had a really good World Cup and his hundred at Centurion in South Africa was one of the best we will…

It was the evening after India’s shocking defeat in the 2019 World Cup semi-final against New Zealand in Manchester, and we were yet to come to terms with what had transpired. India had failed to chase down 240 and the dream of winning the trophy had come to an end. The man most in the line of fire was Rishabh Pant. He had played an irresponsible shot and given it away. Rishabh, understandably, was the subject for Twitter trolls, and many called him overrated. He was considered overweight and slammed for his approach to the sport. Sitting in a Manchester…

In the initial seasons of the Indian Premier League (IPL), spectators were passionate cricket fans. Fast forward to 2024, and it’s not just the love for cricket that drives fans to the stadium. It’s the love for the competition and teams. The same spectators are now IPL fans! What makes the Manchester derby one of the greatest Premiership clashes is the die-hard fan loyalty of the City and United fans. It is the same in Spain with Barcelona and Real Madrid, and in Italy with AC Milan and Inter. In its early years, the IPL or, rather, the individual franchises…

The last match that MS Dhoni captained in his storied career was the IPL final of 2023. And he won the trophy for a record fifth time as leader. That’s the legacy he leaves behind. And in sport, it is all about timing. His timing in giving up the captaincy has been perfect. The perfect finish for the greatest leader that Indian cricket has ever seen. Emotions aside, the decision is a fantastic one. Smart. We always knew Dhoni had an incredible cricket brain. This decision is proof. He could have recommended that Chennai Super Kings (CSK) go back to…

It was late December 2019, and we had just finished a chat show for one of MS Dhoni’s sponsors in New Delhi. That was when the invite came. “Do you want to have lunch together?” asked MSD. “Please come up to my room and we can grab a bite,” he said, before disappearing into the elevator with his team of security personnel. The whole cricket world wanted to know the mind of the man, and this was an opportunity. There was no one else present and we could have a conversation without having to think of what would come out…

The gesture that broke the Internet on Tuesday evening was when the newly named Royal Challengers Bengaluru men’s team gave their women counterparts a standing ovation. When Virat Kohli video-called the women, moments after they had clinched a nail-biting victory in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) final, it outlined the beauty of sport. A gesture premised on respect, it made an instant impact on everyone who watched it. For Kohli, however, the gesture doesn’t end there. It was just the first act of the drama. While all celebrated him for it, the next act was to say that he now…

Supporters often overreact, and that’s always been the story of fandom. But to a degree, they are entitled to. This is for the simple reason that the two most important constituents of the IPL are the players and the fans. Unless the fans watch, there is no IPL. They help the broadcaster make money, encourage the advertisers to spend and make the tournament what it is. They make heroes of the players and create brands of them. The best example was when the Kolkata Knight Riders won the tournament in 2012. Over 80,000 fans made it to the Eden Gardens…